Manufacturer Mandates

Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviations history. It shares responsibility for the industrys collapse in the 1980s and it wasnt until federal legislation was enacted-the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability-that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

Robert Wright

Monday, October 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

General aviation manufacturers are highly motivated by product liability to implement stringent training, maintenance, and operational requirements for their aircraft.
Case studies (Robinson, Cirrus, Mitsubishi MU-2, Eclipse) demonstrate that mandatory, type-specific training programs, often formalized by regulations or manufacturer mandates, significantly reduce accident rates.
These successful safety initiatives emphasize a "total system approach" to safety, focusing on specialized pilot training, risk management, and a strong safety culture that often goes beyond minimum FAA requirements.

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Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviation’s history. It shares responsibility for the industry’s collapse in the 1980s and it wasn’t until federal legislation was enacted—the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability—that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

So it’s no secret general aviation manufacturers are motivated to prescribe training, maintenance and other requirements involving their products as a way to prevent accidents. It’s worthwhile studying how effective these risk mitigations have been, especially as a new entrant seeks to significantly expand manufacturer-imposed operational requirements on its products.